25th September, 2013
Ethiopia will face Nigeria on October 13 in Addis Ababa in the first leg of a 2014 World Cup play-off, officials said Wednesday.
“The first game is here, the home game, and then they will go after to Nigeria,” Ethiopian Football Federation spokesman, Samsom Getachew, told AFP.
The teams will face off again in Nigeria on November 16, and the overall winners qualify for the 32-nation global football showpiece in Brazil next June and July.
Ethiopia defeated Central African Republic 2-1 this month to win Group A and eliminate South Africa from the World Cup.
The victory means Ethiopia’s ‘Waliya Antelopes’ will face much tougher opponents in Nigeria, who beat Ethiopia 2-0 en route to winning the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa last February.
While Nigeria’s ‘Super Eagles’ use a mix of local and Europe-based stars, the bulk of the ‘Antelopes’ squad is home based.
But Samson said his squad was “eager” going into the match, and felt prepared.
“They are confident, they are very well prepared and they know Nigeria from before,” he said.
Ethiopia, more famed as a nation of long distance runners than footballers, have surprised observers with their repeated victories in the World Cup qualifiers.
The team was docked three points in July after fielding suspended midfielder Manyahile Beyene in a match against Botswana the previous month, but still finished two points ahead of 2010 World Cup hosts South Africa.